Changing Hearts and Inner Darkness
by Karasu-Reido
Summary: I was watching Howl's Moving Castle with my friends and decided to write a fan fiction about it.


Howl's Moving Castle Fan Fiction-

Changing Hearts and inner darkness.

This fan fiction takes place after the movie ends… Basically read to find out what happens.

Part 1- Chapter 1

"One thing is certain, the heart can change."

Those were the words that the prince said in parting. A year passed before he returned to Sophie and Howl. By that time, Sophie's heart had changed but Howl's had not. She left with the prince, apologizing to Howl and wishing him a happy life with someone new, someone who would always love him.

Two years have passed since then.

The world was at peace, no war seemed imminent. Howl moved into obscurity with Markl and became all but a legend. Lady Suliman made no more attempts to bring wizards and witches to the castle to strip them of their powers. Sophie lives with the prince in the neighboring country as his wife.

An evil force stirs in the shadows however. Unnoticed by everyone but those who live in the shadows and only one country and one girl, a witch by the name of Azixra Nil, knows what the force is and who can stop it. She leaves her home country and travels in search of the man that can help her; Howl Jenkins.

A lone woman shivers against the heavy mist and walks quickly, pulling her cloak tighter about herself. Soft creaking in the distance causes her to halt her gait and tilt her head, her crimson eyes wide as she listens, her ragged fringe falling gently into her eyes. She raises a hand up and pushes her periwinkle blue hair behind her ear. A scowl crosses her delicate features. "Why does it have to be a moving castle? Honestly, he could live with just a plain castle; though from what I've heard it's a pile of moving junk…" A soft sigh escapes her lips and she begins walking again. "Well… I could always fly but only idiots change their forms for something so menial…" She scowls once again and squints into the darkness, on the horizon she can see a dark shape that is moving rapidly closer. She blinks and begins to run toward it, her long hair whipping out behind her like a curtain on the wind. After a good distance she slows and stops, panting as she stares at Howl's castle. "Finally.." She takes a breath and takes off again, heading towards the door at the back, moving her hand as if she were going to propel herself. A torrent of air burst from her hand as she jumps up toward the door and is rocketed up. She lands lightly and tugs the door open. Azixra looks about critically and wrinkles her nose against the smell that meets her nose upon entering his abode and closing the door. "It is a moving pile of junk." She states simply.

"Who's there?" A loud, preadolescent boy's voice called. By the sound of him he couldn't be older than twelve or thirteen. She crinkled her brow. Howl couldn't be that young could he? Perhaps he was using a spell like the (now deceased) Witch of the Waste to make himself younger. Somehow she doubted that he would make himself that young. She walked up the steps slowly and looked about the room, finding the source of the voice, a young boy around twelve standing at the landing of a flight of stairs. He gripped the banister as he stared at her, obviously recognizing her as a witch. "How did you get in here? Calcifer! Why did you let her in? Can't you tell that she's a witch?"

"Hey! She's harmless enough to us. I block out people with malicious intentions and I barely even felt her presence when she arrived." A new, arrogant voice spoke up from the fire. Upon closer inspection it was the fire itself that had spoken. Azixra raises a thin brow questioningly. "If you barely felt my presence, how do you know that I'm not malevolent? How are you not sure that I am here to assassinate Howl or bring him to Suliman so that he may succeed her?" The fire peers up from behind a slightly charred log and surveys her in silence. "Yes Calcifer, how can you be sure?" The boy walks closer to her and glares at her suspiciously. "Oh never mind, we'll let Howl decide."

"Let me decide what?" A soft, low voice asks from behind Azixra. She turns and blinks. Had he entered from the door? No. She would have heard him. A nearby chair and abandoned book and blanket indicated that the man with the shoulder length black hair and strange blue eyes had been sleeping there until their conversation had woken him. She smirks, her crimson eyes flashing slightly. "Let you decide whether or not I'm a bad witch or a good witch." She tilts her head her eyes widening. "I'm good and your little fire allowed me entrance but says he couldn't feel my presence or any malicious intentions… I will understand if you turn me away but I need your help Howl…"

"What exactly do you need my assistance with?" He asks slowly stepping closer. The boy shifts and crosses his arms scowling. "You actually trust her Howl?" He asks in disbelief. "I have no reason for distrust." Azixra smiles slightly then frowns. "I need your help in preventing a new war. Something is stirring, something that will destroy the world with countless wars if not stopped. I believe that I know how to stop it, but I need your help to do so."

"Something..? Is it Suliman?" Howl frowns and bites his lip, his mind racing. "No, it isn't Suliman. A wizard is the one this time… I don't remember his name…" She closes her eyes and lets out a soft breath. "Please… I really need your-" She cuts off suddenly and sways unsteadily. She falls forward, losing consciousness. Howl catches her and looks down at her quietly. "My help huh?" Markl looks at his master questioningly. "What are you going to do Master Howl?"

"What am I going to do? I'm going to put her in… "Her" old room… Then I'm going to take my bath and think about what she told me." He replies as he walks to the downstairs bedroom and opens the door. He lays Azixra on the bed and stares at her a moment. "Didn't even tell me her name.." He shakes his head and exits the room. "Calcifer! Heat the water for my bath." He calls as he walks up the staircase to the filthy bathroom. "Again? Sheesh. I come back even though we have no contract and you still treat me like a slave." The fire demon complained loudly but complied. Howl said nothing and shut the door to the bathroom, steam issuing from the space under the door soon afterward.


End file.
